Day One
On day one (Monday, August 16, 1999) we arrived in Gatlinburg, TN, visited the Sugarlands
Visitor Center (park headquarters), set up camp at Elkmont campground, and then hiked the
Chimney Tops Trail, a steep, strenuous 4 mile trip up to the top of the mountains.
Day Two
On day two we went horseback riding at McCarter's Stables. We rode the horses high
up into the mountains and then back down. We then drove through the park and hiked
up to Clingman's Dome, the highest point in the park. Later we visited the Cherokee
Indian Reservation.
Day Three
On Day Three we hiked the Alum Cave Trail up to the bluffs, a 5-mile journey.
The scenery here was spectacular, especially the bluffs and the view from the top.
Day Four
On day four we visited Cades Cove, a beautiful valley within the mountains where the first
settlers lived. We drove the Cades Cove Loop Road, stopping frequently to view
different cabins and settlements. We saw a number of deer on the road. They
weren't afraid of us at all. Later that day we hiked to Abrams Falls, a 5-mile
journey.
During the trip we took a number of "photo-stitch" or panoramic shots with
the digital camera:
|
